Honoring defiance of censorship and other threats

New York,
September 26, 2013--Four journalists who face imprisonment or other persecution for
exposing realities in Ecuador, Egypt, Turkey, and Vietnam will be honored with
the Committee to Protect Journalists' 2013 International Press Freedom Awards,
an annual recognition of the courageous reporting that defines free media.

"At a time
when information has become a global resource, these four journalists have
defied censorship and persecution to bring us the news," said CPJ Executive
Director Joel Simon. "We recognize their bravery, their commitment, and their
refusal to be silenced."

The awardees--Janet Hinostroza
(Teleamazonas, Ecuador), Bassem Youssef (Capital
Broadcast Center, Egypt), Nedim
Şener (Posta, Turkey) and Nguyen Van Hai
(Dieu Cay,
Vietnam)--are confronting severe reprisals for their work, including legal
harassment, physical threats, and imprisonment. Hinostroza was forced to temporarily
give up one television program to ensure her safety after being threatened; Youssef
has come under legal investigation for his satirical newscast; and Şener is charged with terrorist activity for his
critical reporting and could be sentenced to 15 years in prison. Nguyen Van Hai,
one of Vietnam's best known bloggers, created an independent alternative in a
country where all news publications are controlled by the government.
Consequently, he is serving a 12-year prison sentence under a vague law that
bars "conducting propaganda" against the state.

CPJ will
present Paul Steiger, founding editor-in-chief
of ProPublica, with the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for lifetime achievement
in the cause of press freedom. Steiger, who served as CPJ chairman for six
years, from 2005 to 2011, was managing editor of TheWall Street Journal
from 1991 to 2007.

"Paul
Steiger's many achievements demonstrate his abiding commitment to the need for
a free and probing press. He led The Wall
Street Journal through its greatest trials, including the capture and
killing of reporter Daniel Pearl and the weeks following 9/11, and to its
greatest achievements," said CPJ Chairman Sandra Mims Rowe. "At a time when
most people would retire, he founded ProPublica, another example of
journalistic excellence and public service in investigative reporting. We
commend his dedication to the cause of press freedom throughout his 45-year
career."

All of the
winners will be honored at CPJ's annual award and benefit dinner in New York
City on November 26, 2013. Lara Logan, CBS News correspondent
and CPJ board member, will host the event. Daniel L. Doctoroff, chief executive and president
of Bloomberg L.P., is the dinner chairman.

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CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that works to
safeguard press freedom worldwide.

Note to editors: CPJ International Press Freedom Award winners are available
for interviews prior to the awards dinner on November 26, 2013. For full
biographies, click here. Media
accreditation for coverage of the awards dinner will begin on October 22. To
purchase tickets to the dinner, please call +1.212.300.9002.